Bassel Tawil, the Lens of a Young Homsi

By Saran Koly
February 15, 2016 Video
— Issue 2

When his hometown of Homs came under siege, Bassel Tawil picked up a camera and photographed the Syrian war. When he tried to leave Homs, he was detained and beaten. He eventually escaped to Lebanon and then fled to France, hosted by the Maison des Journalistes. He a founding member of Lens of a Young Homsi, a photography collective that continues to document the destruction of Homs.

The Maison des journalistes is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting journalists who have been forced to flee their countries because of persecution relating to their line of work. A physical refuge located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the Maison des journalists offers these courageous journalists a temporary home and the help they need to rebuild their lives.